National Jurist - October 2007 - (Page 34) Is it worth it? While Nickla and countless other LL.M. graduates attest to the value of the graduate degree, others warn that the extra year of law school is not for everyone. “If you know that you want to specialize in a particular area of law, then time and other activities.” But, he said, if you know what you want to go for, go. In the end, waiting could turn out to be more expensive. Many law schools offer flexibility and availability of courses. Cooley’s LL.M. program allows students to peck away at a an LL.M. in tax law would benefit her and her employer, Masud, Patterson, Schutter & Peters, P.C. in Saginaw, Mich. But that was easier said than done. “I had to sit them down and explain how tax could benefit labor and employ- “If it’s something that you’re truly passionate about, something that you’re really interested in, find a way to make it work for you and fit into what you’re doing.” —Katherine Gardner the LL.M. degree right after law school is probably what you ought to be doing,” said William Weiner, associate dean of Thomas M. Cooley Law School for international, graduate and extended programs. The biggest concern Weiner hears from potential graduate degree candidates is, “Is it worth it?” The concern of adding an extra year of debt racks their brains, he said. But there are some pros and cons to both. “Not only are you paying for more school,” he said, “but you’re giving up some income and competing with family program part-time. Students can receive their degree in a calendar year, but also have up to five years to complete it. “We really are trying to reach out to students who are either financially a little bit stressed or professionally a little bit busy and we are as flexible as we can be,” Weiner said. Katherine Gardner was thinking about getting her LL.M. degree after graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, but decided to get some practice first. An unusual case involving pension and ERISA issues prompted her to realize how ment law,” she said. “Once I explained it, they were all for it.” Gardner said her LL.M. degree from Thomas Cooley has allowed her firm to take on labor and employment law issues that they were simply not equipped to handle in the past. And, it helped her become more valuable to the firm as a gatekeeper of ERISA knowledge. In the labor and employment field, Gardner said she and her firm stand out because there aren’t that many practitioners who have LL.M. degrees. Offering the Midwest’s Largest Selection of Graduate Programs The LL.M. programs at The John Marshall Law School offer lawyers the opportunity to enhance their skills in these specialized fields of law: Employee Benefits Global Legal Studies Information Technology and Privacy Law Intellectual Property Law International Business and Trade Law Real Estate Law Tax Law Evening and weekend classes offer attorneys the flexibility they need to accommodate their busy schedules. Call or visit our web site to learn how these 21st century curricula can help your career. ® 315 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, Illinois 60604 800.276.0003 34 THE NATIONAL JURIST October 2007 http://www.jmls.edu
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